Infliximab and Methotrexate in the Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis

• Published in: The New England journal of medicine Vol. 343; no. 22; pp. 1594 - 1602
• Main Authors: Lipsky, Peter E, van der Heijde, Desiree M.F.M, St. Clair, E. William, Furst, Daniel E, Breedveld, Ferdinand C, Kalden, Joachim R, Smolen, Josef S, Weisman, Michael, Emery, Paul, Feldmann, Marc, Harriman, Gregory R, Maini, Ravinder N
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Boston, MA Massachusetts Medical Society 30.11.2000
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Bones, joints and connective tissue. Antiinflammatory agents; infliximab; Medical sciences; methotrexate; Patients; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Proteins; Rheumatoid arthritis; Human; Immunopathology; Intravenous administration; Indication; Treatment efficiency; Cytokine; Diseases of the osteoarticular system; Autoimmune disease; Inflammatory joint disease; Monoclonal antibody; Quality of life; Radiography; Chronic; Treatment; Infliximab; Rheumatoid arthritis; Methotrexate; Comparative study; Tumor necrosis factor α
• ISSN: 0028-4793; 1533-4406
• DOI: 10.1056/NEJM200011303432202

Tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) has a central role in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis, 1 – 3 as demonstrated by the clinical benefit of TNF-α–neutralizing therapy 4 – 9 with either a TNF-α type II receptor–IgG1 fusion protein (etanercept) or a chimeric (human and mouse) monoclonal antibody against TNF-α (infliximab). Sustained clinical benefit occurred when the TNF-α–neutralizing agents were administered alone 5 , 8 or concomitantly with methotrexate, 6 , 7 , 9 the current standard disease-modifying therapy for patients with rheumatoid arthritis. 10 , 11 Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic disease with the potential to cause substantial joint damage and disability. 12 Critical issues concerning the effect of therapy, therefore, . . .